This invention relates to supports in general and to earthquake shock absorbers for buildings in particular.
Earthquakes cause structural damage to buildings in at least two ways. First, the lateral movement of the ground and, therefore, of the building foundation with respect to the building creates damaging shear forces in the building's structure. These shear forces can crack masonry, buckle vertical supports, and completely undermine the structural integrity of the building.
Second, the rhythmic movement of the ground during an earthquake can induce resonant oscillations of the building structure. These resonant oscillations magnify and prolong the destructive effects of the earthquake and add to the damage to the building.
The prior art is replete with structural supports for buildings and equipment which purportedly minimize the effects of earthquakes. Many of these designs are ineffective because they do not adequately address both modes of potential earthquake damage. In addition, many of the prior art designs require repair or even replacement after each sizable earthquake and are therefore economically impractical. Furthermore, most prior art earthquake supports are expensive and difficult to construct and install.